Rockslide Causes Fiery Train Crash In Kentucky

A rockslide caused a CSX train to go off the rails in Eastern Kentucky, causing a fire and sending at least one engine and multiple cars into the Big Sandy River.

The southbound train had 96 loaded ethanol cars and two loaded rock cars when it derailed in Draffin, Kentucky, about 7:05 a.m., CSX said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in a tweet at 11:16 a.m. Thursday that it is sending a team of six to Draffin to investigate the incident.

Two locomotives and an unknown number of rail cars went into the Big Sandy River near Pond Creek Road, according CSX. One of the derailed locomotives, as well as an unknown number of cars, also caught fire, the company said.

Pike County Emergency Management Director Doug Tackett said diesel fuel from the train spilled and caught fire, but emergency management crews have contained the blaze.